Top Employer: Hospital for Sick Children, The

Recognized as one of Canada's Top 100 Employers (2025), Greater Toronto's Top Employers (2025) and Canada's Top Family-Friendly Employers (2025):

By Richard Yerema and Kristina Leung, Mediacorp Canada Inc. staff editors (Nov 14, 2024)

Here are some of the reasons why Hospital for Sick Children, The was selected as one of Canada's Top 100 Employers (2025), Greater Toronto's Top Employers (2025) and Canada's Top Family-Friendly Employers (2025):

SickKids offers extensive wellness programming to encourage employees to make healthy choices for their physical and mental well-being -- initiatives include healthy eating webinars, mindfulness workshops and a dedicated stretching program
SickKids' unionized and non-union employees can plan for the future through the security of a defined benefit pension plan and can access retirement-related resources through an online pension centre
Along with numerous food court options for employees, SickKids inspires mindful eating at its very own The Terrace Café -- the cafe is owned and operated by the hospital and focuses on serving healthy food options that are made in-house daily, with ingredients sourced locally in Ontario
SickKids encourages employees to keep fit at its massive Wellness Centre, offering a complete range of fitness equipment, studio, shower facilities and day use lockers -- and the organization recently announced all employees are eligible to receive free memberships to the centre

SickKids staff play Jenga together at a social event (Photo credit: Tory Zimmerman)

Employer Background

Industry	Hospitals
Established in Canada	1875
Major Canadian locations	Toronto ON
Full-time employees in Canada	6,741
Part-time employees in Canada	706
Workforce engaged on a contract basis	23.32%
Average age of employees in Canada	39.87 years
Longest serving employee	51.5 years

Work Environment Rating: A

Flexible work options	hybrid work option, flexible work hours, 35-hour work week (with full pay), telecommuting, compressed work week
Commuter amenities	walk to public transit, subsidized parking, electric vehicle charging stations, secure/sheltered bicycle parking, nearby bike sharing station
Onsite workplace features	telecommuter workstations, sit-stand workstations, private phone booth, nap room, religious observance room
Employee lounge amenities	comfortable seating, features multiple atriums with floor-to-ceiling windows, televisions and lounge areas, garden terrace and patio
Snacks available	Peer Support Tea Caddy provides free refreshments and snacks with peers conducting wellness check-ins with staff (offering hot chocolate, juices, teas, coffee, granola bars, chips, chocolates, and cookies)
Onsite cafeteria	healthy menus, special diet menus, take-home meals
Other food options at main location	The Terrace Café (owned and operated by SickKids and focused on serving healthy options made in-house daily with ingredients sourced locally in Ontario)
Onsite fitness facility	for employees only, free membership, treadmills, stationary bikes, stairmasters, elliptical trainers, rowing machines, weights, shower facilities, recently moved the Wellness Centre and announced free memberships for employees

Work Atmosphere & Communications Rating: B

Financial Benefits & Compensation Rating: A

Financial benefits note	SickKids has multiple employee groups, financial benefits may vary by position
Outside salary surveys	participates in outside salary surveys every 12 months
Employee salary reviews	individual salaries are reviewed every 12 months
Long-term savings	defined-benefit (DB) pension
Long-term planning	retirement planning assistance, phased-in retirement work options
Additional financial benefits	corporate discount program (e.g. retail, services, travel, etc.), discounted home insurance, discounted auto insurance, physicians and scientists (5% of the workforce) participate in a defined contribution pension plan

Health & Family-Friendly Benefits Rating: A

Health plan note	SickKids has multiple employee groups, health plans may vary by position
Health plan premium	as part of the health plan, the employer pays up to 75% of the premiums
Flexible coverage	health plan is flexible with adjustable premiums and coverage levels
Minimum hours worked for coverage	18 hours per week
Waiting period	there is no waiting period for coverage
Family coverage option	yes
Retiree coverage option	up to 70 years of age
Dental coverage	routine, restorative, orthodontics
Eyecare	$450 every 2 years
Paid sick days	employees receive 5 days off each year
Health plan includes	traditional coverage (e.g. prescription drugs), employee assistance (EAP) plan, semi-private hospital room, physiotherapy, medical travel insurance, medical equipment and supplies, massage therapy, podiatrist, osteopathy, chiropractor, alternative coverage (e.g. acupuncture, naturopathy)
Mental health practitioner benefit	up to $3,000 each year
Additional health and wellness initiatives	wellness committees and champions, dedicated mental health strategy, peer support program, in-house wellness programming (healthy eating webinars, mindful stretching program, mindfulness workshops)
Family-friendly benefits note	SickKids has multiple employee groups, family-friendly policies may vary by position
In vitro fertilization (IVF)	$15,000 per lifetime
Maternity top-up (mothers)	up to 84% of salary for 15 weeks
Parental top-up (mothers)	up to 84% of salary for 10 weeks
Parental top-up (fathers)	up to 84% of salary for 25 weeks
Adoption top-up	up to 84% of salary for 25 weeks
Additional family-friendly benefits	extended parental leave to unpaid leave
Additional family-friendly information	depending on employee group, some employees receive maternity and parental leave top-up of up to 93% of salary for up to 26 weeks, and parental leave top-up (for fathers and adoptive parents) of up to 93% of salary for up to 11 weeks

Vacation & Personal Time-Off Rating: B

Vacation note	SickKids has multiple employee groups, vacation policies may vary by position
Vacation allowance	new employees receive 3 weeks of paid vacation after their first year on the job
Vacation jump	vacation increases after 4 years of employment
Maximum vacation allowance	employees move to a maximum of 7 weeks of vacation over their career
Personal paid days off	employees can schedule 2 personal days off each year, as needed
Unpaid leave maximum	3 months
Additional time-off information	depending on their grouping, employees receive 2 to 4 weeks of paid vacation to start

Employee Engagement & Performance Rating: B+

Employee performance reviews	employees receive individual performance reviews every 12 months
Managers receive performance review training	yes
360° feedback option	as part of the review process, performance feedback is also solicited from co-workers and other managers familiar with each employee's work
Confidential employee feedback	employees can also provide confidential feedback on their manager's performance
Exit interview	exit interview option is available for departing employees
Performance recognition	online recognition platform, on-the-spot rewards, peer-to-peer recognition awards, long-service awards, President's Award to honour individuals and teams who embody the organization's values, unique Good Catch Award for individuals who prevented staff or patient harm
In-house survey period	in-house surveys are conducted every 24 months
Outside survey period	outside consultant surveys are held every 24 months

Training & Skills Development Rating: A

Career planning	in-house career planning services
In-house training initiatives	mentoring, online training, leadership development programs, paid internships
Related tuition subsidies	employer covers up to 50% of tuition per year
Annual tuition maximum	employer pays up to $20,000 in tuition subsidies for job-related courses per year
Unique training & development programs	specialized orientation and training programs for medical personnel, extensive leadership development training, the Learning Institute (has a mandate to support educational initiatives, offering a range of learning opportunities), career development, workshops and events for all research personnel through the Research Institute

Community Involvement Rating: B+

Recognized as one of Canada's Top Employers for Young People (2025):

By Kristina Leung, Chantel Watkins, and Cypress Weston, Mediacorp Canada Inc. staff editors (Jan 20, 2025)

Here are some of the reasons why Hospital for Sick Children, The was selected as one of Canada's Top Employers for Young People (2025):

SickKids collaborates with University Health Network and Nipissing University for an accelerated second degree Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BScN) Scholar Practitioner program, producing nurses who are "practice-ready" -- as a participating organization, SickKids employs approximately 20 students in each cohort and has hired outstanding new graduate nurses from the program since its launch in 2011
SickKids offers a preceptorship program, connecting experienced staff with novice health care practitioners and students as they learn to apply their practice (over 900 interprofessional staff participated in the program in 2023) -- interprofessional preceptors complete an introductory workshop and two advanced preceptor courses, with further training for those who have been in a preceptor role for at least a year to address coaching, feedback, assessment and evaluation for more complex teaching-learning situations
Students and researchers at SickKids have access to a range of educational initiatives and learning opportunities through the organization's Research Training Centre, which supports over 1,500 undergraduate and graduate students and research fellows with a robust curriculum of seminars, workshops and events

SickKids staff collaborate at work

Highlights

Industry	Hospitals
Major Canadian locations	Toronto ON
Full-time employees in Canada	6,741
Student opportunities	summer jobs, co-op opportunities, paid internships
In-house training programs	orientation program, online training, in-house career planning services, mentoring
Related tuition subsidies	employer covers up to 50% of tuition per year
Annual tuition maximum	employer pays up to $20,000 in tuition subsidies for job-related courses per year
Unique training and development opportunities	Research Institute and its Research Training Centre supports undergraduate, graduate students and research fellows with a robust curriculum, offers a range of educational initiatives and learning opportunities through the Learning Institute (including a simulation program, which allows individuals and teams to practice routine procedures, recognize and treat rare conditions, and practice life-saving techniques in a real-time environment), Teaching Scholars Program (focuses on the essentials of adult learning to enhance the teaching skills of health care professionals), SickKids Mentorship Academy to support the mentoring program and Mentor Boot Camp supports the skills required in a mentorship relationship, Principal Investigator (PI) Prep School (provides research fellows with hands-on coaching to prepare for careers in academia including mock interviews, negotiation seminars, and a $10,000 seed grant to support independent research), career development programs, job search series (career seminars led by industry leaders), nursing student placements
Additional highlights	summer research program allows undergraduate and medical students to conduct research in a laboratory or clinical setting, Career Night (an opportunity for graduate students, postdoctoral fellows and research associates to meet and network with industry professionals), clinical extern program for final-year nursing students, graduate dietetic internship program (participants receive Professional Master's Diploma in Dietetics from Toronto Metropolitan University upon completion), scholarships for underrepresented students through the Award for Indigenous Nursing Students and Award for Black Nursing Students
Vacation allowance	new employees receive 3 weeks of paid vacation after their first year on the job

Past social events	employees working Christmas Day received a voucher for a free meal at the hospital's very own The Terrace Café, variety of in-person and virtual celebrations throughout the year
Cultural aspects	dress-for-your-day policy, casual dress (e.g. jeans) daily, casual dress Fridays, music while working, employee sports teams
Employee communications	intranet site, company newsletter, traditional/email suggestion box, internal social media
Other in-house communications	hybrid town halls

Scope of charitable involvement	local, national, international
Employee charitable involvement	employees are involved in selection of charities
Some of the community organizations supported	United Way, Canadian Blood Services, Kids Science (science and technology program for youth in the GTA)
Community highlight	SickKids' charitable focus includes children's health, research and education, and supporting the local community -- the longstanding SickKids Foundation continues to be a focal point for employee involvement and fundraising efforts

Hospital for Sick Children, The

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